Baby sitter



T. E. WILLIAMS 2,700,413

BABY SITTER Jan. 25, 1955 Filed June 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

' T HELMA E. WILLIAMS BY ATTORNEY Jan. 25, 1955 T. 1 WILLIAMS 2,700,413

' BABY SITTER Filed June 1'7, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Fla. 6 6'7 15 INVENTOR. THEL MA E. WILLIAM 5 ATTORNEY United States Patent BABY SITTER Thelma E. Williams, Muncie, Ind.

Application June 17, 1952, Serial No. 294,009 Claims. (Cl. 155-24) This invention relates to improvements in utility devices for facilitating the care of infants.

For the reason that the infant is constantly 1n action, and is without faculty of avoiding accidental in ury to 1tself or to surrounding objects, there has long been the need of a utility by which the baby while being permltted the natural activities and exercise that are incident to normal growth and development may be afforded safety against harm and accident.

My invention has to do With a device of the type which is capable of being moved about as on casters or rollers. By my invention a flexible seat is supported by the unit frame, and a flexible spread therefor is so provided, that whereas the baby of age up to fourteen to eighteen months may be comfortably supported, contained, and sh elded from injury to itself, and is prevented from doing in ury to the device or to objects with which it may come into contact, is free to indulge in normal body movements and as it develops and grows may use its feet in their contact with the floor.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of the kind described which is durable and dependable, and while affording the advantages above referred to is capable of being readily assembled, thoroughly cleansed and reassembled.

The said general object, as well as other and specific aims devoted to improved features of construction looking to economy of manufacture, convenience in merchandising and use, as will presently appear, are accomplished by and my invention is contained in the new construction, combination and arrangement of parts described in the following specification.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved baby sitter.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, portions of the spread and portions of the frame sheathing being broken away (back board 52 in cross section) thereby disclosing to view the bag type seat and its connections to the frame.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, on broken line 33 in the direction of arrow 3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the broken line 4-4 in the direction of arrow 4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detached perspective detail view of the corner construction of the frame.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on broken line 66 in the direction of arrow 6 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the spread removed.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the frame sheathing removed.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the seat and back plate assembly removed.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the back plate removed; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the head cushion removed.

The body structure of my new baby sitter consists of a rectangular frame made of stout rails 16, 18, 20 and 21 mortised at their meeting ends, the corners thus formed being secured to the tops of four upright legs, as by lag screws 22 indicated at Fig. 5. At the inner side of each of said corners is a screw eye 23 (see Fig. 2); and at the bottom of each of said legs is provided an anti-friction pivoted roller or caster 26.

A soft textile sheathing (see Fig. 8) for the exterior surfaces of the said rails, and for the exterior surfaces of the legs of the frame, consists of a fabric as duck or the 2,700,413 Patented Jan. 25, 1955 like fashioned to rectangular formation in plan, the portions 28 and 29 adapted to rest upon the tops and against the outer sides respectively of the said rails. Directed downwardly from the corner portions of said sheathing are leg portions 31 which are adapted to lie directly against the outer surfaces of the legs of the frame. At the bottom of each of said leg portions 31 of said sheathing, an elastic band 32 is provided- When the said sheathing will have been placed in its position upon the said body structure, the portions 28 and 29 thereof lying engaged with the tops and outer sides of the rails 16, 18, 20 and 21, and the leg portions 31 lying against the outer faces of the legs of the frame, the band 32 at each leg is stretched beyond the foot of the leg and snapped to place, thereby the sheathing being drawn to and stayed against dislodgement from its close fitting position. v

A bag type seat comprises a frame member which consists of a strong slender metal rod fashioned to U shaped form thereby providing frontal portion 34, rounded corners 35, side portions 36 and 37, rounded corners 35a, and opposed inturned portions 38 and 39. Each of the said end portions is flattened (see broken lines at Fig. 9) and it embodies an eyelet 40.

Body portion 47 of the said seat consists of a length of stout fabric as duck or the like each of its corners being cut off at an angle and each of its ends being provided with a hem 48. A vertical straplike web 50 composed of spaced edgebound fillets, and between which said fillets is a stufling of sponge rubber, is secured at its bottom to the frontal edge of said sheet 47. At its top it is secured to a transverse fillet 51 which includes a hem 52.

The end portions of said fillet 51 are secured to the inner faces of the forward portions of the hems 48 of the body sheet 47 of said seat. The rear portion of said seat includes substantially semi-circular textile sheets 54 and 55 arranged in side by side relation, their edges being sewed to the edges of the rear portion of the said body sheet 47 The pliable portions just described are threaded upon the said frame member, as indicated at Fig. 9, the portions 34, 36 and 37 of said frame member being received in the hems 48 and 52, and the corner portions 35 and 35a of the said frame member are bare.

A second and completing frame member and which I denote as a backboard, consists of a stiff thin panel 42 of plywood or the like of design as indicated at Fig. 10. At the rear side of said back board, and at a predetermined plane above the bottom edge of the substantially semi-circular lower portion 43 of said back board, spaced rearwardly directed threaded studs 44 are provided. The distance center to center between said studs, is the same as the distance center to center between the said eyelets 40. The said back board is placed in position with its lower portion 43 between the body sheets 54 and 55. Then by applying the nuts 45 to the studs 44 (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 9) the frame of the seat, together with the textile portions thereof, is complete and the back plate while at its lower portion 43 serving as a stiffener for the upright rear portion or wall of the seat, serves also as a support for the head cushion 70. The said head cushion consists of similar disk shaped sheets of soft textile secured together at their edges-and binding between them a stuffing of spongiform material. It is detachably retained in its position as by a threadlike yoke 71 which rests upon the offsets of the upper portion of said back board.

The assembly just described, and as appearing at Fig. 9, is disposed in position as indicated at Fig. 2. Loose on each of corner portions of said rod frame is a strap 57 having buckle 58. The said assembly is connected at suspended position and is there supported by applying the straps to the screw eyes 23 of the carrier frame rails.

A flexible textile spread 60 of plan formation conformable to the plan formation of the carrier frame, and

made of stout fabric as of duck, embodies vertical marginal drop portions 61 adapted to fit in snug engagement with the drop portions 29 of the sheathing which seat. At the edges 63 ofa curvilinear opening which is provided" in said spread ata location above the said bag type. seat,v an endless skirt 64 made of suitable fabric as drilling, is secured at its upper edge. It is of depth about one half the depth of the said seat, and of suitable fullness, as indicated at Fig. 4 and Fig. 6, and isprovided with hem 65 at its bottom in which is drawstring 66', as; a ribbon.

Said spread is fastened as against accidental disarange'ment as by tapes 68 which are bound about the sheathing of the frame legs as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A depressed portion 69 may be provided as a receptacle for crumbs or the like for the babys convenience.

U My new baby' sitter in readiness for use appears as in the plan view Fig. 1, the flexible spread resting securely iii cushioned'position npenthe portions 28 of the sheathing of the frame rails 16, 18, 20 and 21. The procedure of seating. the baby consists in lifting iip the skirt 64 of the" spread, disposing its hem port-ion about the babys waistand under its arms, and then drawing same to suitable tension and tying same; The baby is then deposited in the bag seat, the skirt then automatically forming a drape about the babys body, and the babys legs being passed. through. the openings at each side of the web 50 which is soft, yieldable and non-irritant. Whereas the baby thus supported is free to move its body, legs, and arms, the structural parts of the device are so covered that there is no possibility of the babys activities resulting in injury to the baby, or in derangement of any of the parts of the device. Nor is there any possibility of the entry of any article between the babys body and the fabric of the seat. Pitching forwardly and/or rearwardly by the baby is unaccompanied by any possibility of injury to the baby or to the device because of the poise of the back board being in accord with the changing slant of the back wall of the seat, and because of the buifing action of the head cushion 70.

In instance of contact by the babys feet with the floor, and of the consequent rolling of the device from one place to another, any injury because of the impact of the device against an adjacent object as a room wall or article of furniture is prevented by thebuffing action of the borders 61 and 29 respectively, of the said spread and said rail sheathing, and by the buffing action of the portions 31 of the leg sheathings. Activities of the baby during its sitting as described being free and at the same time not resultant in any injury to itself, nor to derangement of the device, the mother or custodian of the baby is relieved of any anxiety as 'to the babys safety or well'being.

Removing the baby from its seated status consists of Untying the drawstring and of lifting the baby clear and free from the said seat and the said skirt, and from said spread. Rearrangin'g the device for re-use consists simply in returning the skirt to the normal position where it hangs from the spread '60,, and within the confines of the seat as indicated at Fig. 4.

Disassembling the several parts of my new baby sitter involves no more than procedures that are simple and obvious. Removing the spread from its connection with the frame consists simply in untying 'th'etapes 68, loosening the spread at the borders 61 thereof, and then lifting the spread free from the frame. Removing the sheathing of the frame consists in stretching one of the bands 32 tdclear'ahce ofthe bottom-of the leg, whence the sheathing may be'pulled free from the legs and frame. To remove the seat the straps 57'are unbuckledand freed from the screw eyes '23. The back plate *is detached from the seat by removing the knurled nuts 45. Upon inverting the back plate the head cushion 70 is freed. Thus, all of the parts are rendered available for easy and thorough cleansing. In instance, as of touring, wherein a collapsing of the frame maybe desired, the rails and legs ofthe frame are'disassembledby removing the screws An additional advantage affordedby my invention. is, that itlends itself to the interchangingof-a soiled spread, sheathing, or seat fabric or-fabrics, for clean and/ or new spreads, sheathings and seat-fabrics, not only of the conventional; texturesaforementioned, but for fabrics special- 1y selected'as to texturequality, design 311(1'00101'; therebyv the device in its entiretybeing marketable at prices within a: range to-rneet the demands of the general trade.

Whereas 'l have shown and described in detail the preferred efnbodimentof my invention, it is to be understodd that modifications coming within the scope of 4, the invention as it is defined in the claims, may be made without departing from the spirit and principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A baby sitter device consisting of a legged open frame, a bag type seat suspended by said frame, a spread provided with an opening to register above said seat, and with downwardly directedmarginal borders to ensheathe the outer sides of said frame, an endless skirt depending from said spread at the edges of said opening and hanging within the confines of said seat, and means manually operable: to constrict the said skirt at its lower border.

2. A baby sitter device consisting of a mobile legged frame, fabric sheathing removably secured to the frame and the legs thereof, a bag type seat suspended by said frame, a spread provided with an opening to register above said seat, and with downwardly directed borders to ensheathe the border portions of the said frame sheathing, an endless skirt depending from said spread at the edges of said opening and hanging within the confines of said seat, and a draw string in the lower border of said skirt and operable at the interior of the said skirt.

3. In a device of the kind described comprising a legged open frame, a bag type seat, consisting of a resilient U-shaped frame member whose end portions are inturned, the corner portion of said frame being of rounded formation, a pliable body sheet each of its ends provided with a hem, a frontal fillet secured at its end portions to the inner faces of the frontal portions of each of the hems of said body sheet, said fillet embodying a hem aligned with the hems of each said body sheet, a central vertical web interconnecting the said fillet to the frontal edge of said body sheet, a transverse wall sheet secured to the rear edges of said body sheet, the said body sheet and said fillet being threaded at their hems onto the said frame member, a stiff cross member detachably interconnecting the ends of said frame, and straps at the corner portions of said seat frame member interconnecting said seat frame member and said legged open frame.

4. In a device of the kind described, a bag type seat comprising a resilient U-shaped frame member whose end portions are inturned and whose corner portions are rounded, a textile body sheet each of its ends provided with a hem, and the terminal portions of said ends each being cut ofi? at an angle, a frontal fillet secured at its end portions to the inner faces of the front end portions of said body sheet, said fillet embodying a hem, a transverse textile wall sheet secured at its bottom and side edges to the rear edges of said body sheet, said body sheet and said fillet being threaded at their hems onto the said frame member, and a stiff cross member detachably intereonnecting the endsof said frame member.

5. A baby sitter device comprising a bag type seat embodying a U-shaped frame member whose end portions are inturned and whose corner portions are rounded, the body sheet of said seat having its ends detachably secured to the side portions of said frame member, and said seat including a rear wall composed of similar textile sheets spaced and in parallelism, an elongated back plate having its bottom portion of curvilinear formation and received in the space between said rear wall sheets, means manually operable to detachably secure the inturned ends of said frame member to the opposite side portions of said back plate, a mobile legged open support frame, means detachably interconnecting opposed portions of said support frame to opposed corners of the said seat frame member, a textile spread having an opening to register above said bag seat, .and a transverse slit to register above the rear wall of said seat, .and being provided with downwardly directed marginal borders to ensheathe the external sides of said support frame, an endless textile skirt depending from .said spread at the edges of said opening, and a draw string in the lower border of said skirt, said spread being adapted so that when applied to said support .frame, the said back plate extends upwardly through said slit.

References (liter! in the tile vof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 8,478 Rice Oct. 28, 185,1 1 16,073 Maschmann June 20, 1871 (Uther references on followingpage) UNITED STATES PATENTS Brown Apr. 12, 1904 Hayden Apr. 18, 1911 Kersten Feb. 18, 1936 5 Cobb Aug. 8, 1939 6 Baxter May 13, 1941 Beurskens Aug. 12, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 28, 1950 

